Housing & Residential Living
Conditions of Occupancy
All students are expected to abide by the Conditions of Occupancy listed below to ensure safe and well-maintained facilities. Students will be subject to disciplinary sanctions, including fines, for violating any regulations.
All rooms are furnished with beds, mattresses, desks, desk chairs, window treatments, dressers, wardrobes or closets, and garbage and recycling cans. Students are responsible for maintaining the room and furnishings in good condition and returning the room to its original condition when moving out. Completion of a Room Condition Report when moving into and vacating a room provides detailed information regarding the room and furnishings.
1. Students are responsible for all activity which occurs in their rooms, even if they are not present. For this reason, rooms should be locked at all times.
2. Damages and missing articles will be charged to student college accounts. Any charges will reflect the cost to repair or replace the damaged or missing items. All occupants of a room/house/apartment will be held equally responsible for any charges incurred and for returning the room to move-in condition when they move out (remove all personal items, remove trash, and thoroughly clean and vacuum room, bathroom, kitchen, lounge, etc.) There is a minimum charge of $25 per resident of a room/house/apartment for excessive cleaning required in any bathroom, lounge, kitchen or other common space within the room/house/apartment. If an individual resident accepts responsibility for a particular damage or cleaning, a written agreement should be signed by all occupants and submitted to Residential Life with the RCR. Residents who fail to complete the room check-out process will be assessed a $25 fine. Students leaving after the designated time will be charged.
3. Furniture: Room furniture must remain in a student’s room. Residents may provide additional furnishings such as carpets, chairs, and sofas. All personal articles must be removed prior to departure from the room at the end of the academic year or departure from the College. Non-Carleton bunk beds and lofts are not permitted. Bunked and lofted beds may not be more than 2 high. The College assumes no responsibility for damage or injury cause by the use of lofts and bunk beds. Lounge furniture is not allowed in student rooms.
4. Walls, Ceilings and Floors: Screws, nails, staples, tape and glue should not be used on ceilings, walls, furniture, doors or floors. Ceilings, walls and floors must be kept free of any fire or safety hazards (please see fire safety guidelines posted on hall bulletin boards for more information). Decorations used for seasonal and/or special events must be of fire retardant materials.
5. Wall partitions, paneling, electrical system modifications, and water beds violate insurance regulations and are prohibited. No alterations or modifications shall be made to the room accommodations.
6. Painting: Rooms and public areas are painted by College staff on a cyclical maintenance schedule. Students are not permitted to paint any rooms.
7. Windows: No items should be placed on windowsills as they pose a hazard to pedestrians below. Screens are not to be removed or unhooked for any reason. Objects are not to be thrown from windows or balconies. Students violating this policy are subject to disciplinary sanctions including a fine.
8. Roofs and Decks: Students are not to be on the roofs or decks of any buildings with the exception of the decks connected to the main lounges of Nourse and Evans Halls. Students violating this policy are subject to disciplinary sanctions including a fine up to $250.00 for the first violation. Additional violations of this rule will increase the fine amount, up to $1000.
9. Porches and Balconies: Grills and other flame producing devices may not be used on porches or balconies. No furniture other than the porch furniture provided by the College is permitted outside the house without written permission from Residential Life staff. Objects are not to be thrown from windows or balconies.
10. Antennas: The installation of outside antennas for TVs and/or radios and the splitting or tapping into any antenna or antenna cable are prohibited. The unauthorized connection to a cable TV signal is a crime and prosecution by the local cable company may result. Students will be charged for removal/repair.
11. Common Areas (i.e., lounges, kitchens, bathrooms, hallways, stairwells, and entries) are intended for the use of all students residing in the building. Furnishings in these areas are not to be removed. All residents of a hall/house/floor will be charged a minimum of $5 for cleaning, repair or replacement of furnishings in the common areas.
12. Storage: Bicycles and other personal belongings may not be stored in lounges, hallways, or stairwells because they create a fire or safety hazard.
13. Fire Safety considerations prohibit the possession of flame- or spark-producing items including candles, incense burners, oil-burning lamps, halogen lamps and lanterns, lighter fluid, etc., in residential facilities. Violation of this policy will result in a $25 fine for the first violation and other disciplinary sanctions for the first violation. Additional violations of this rule will increase the fine amount, up to $300.
14. Life Safety: Damage to or tampering with the sprinkler system, smoke alarms or CO2 detectors in the residence halls/houses will result in a charge to the student account to cover the cost of repair/replacement. The sprinkler fixture and smoke alarm must not be covered/blocked or used as a hanger for any item. Any type of tampering, such as covering a smoke detector or removal of a smoke detector or fire extinguisher, will result in a $250 fine to each individual involved and other disciplinary sanctions. Additional violations of this rule will increase the fine amount, up to $1000.
15. Room / Resident Safety: Residential Life, Dean of Students Office, or Security may enter a room if there is reason to believe someone’s safety is in jeopardy. In addition, Residential Life staff enters all residential rooms at the end of each term to ensure there are no potential safety concerns.
For: Students
Last Reviewed: September 15, 2014
Maintained by: Residential Life
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